P.E.I. man sentenced for sexual interference, possession of child pornography

A P.E.I. Supreme Court judge has accepted a joint recommendation from the Crown and the defence and imposed a three-year prison sentence for a man convicted of sexual interference and possession of more than 10,000 male child pornography images and videos.

The offender, Dylan Kurt MacDonald, appeared in court on Oct. 9 for the sentencing decision. MacDonald, 31, was transported to the courthouse from the Provincial Correctional Centre.

MacDonald pleaded guilty to the charges on Oct. 7, 2025. Child pornography is now referred to in the Criminal Code of Canada as child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

Sexual interference involves touching a person under the age of 16 for a sexual purpose. A publication ban is in place preventing the release of information that could identify the male victim.

The sentence was a joint recommendation from Crown attorney John Diamond and defence lawyer Isaac Quinn that was accepted by Justice Tracey Clements. With enhanced credit for time already spent in pre-sentence custody, MacDonald will serve the remainder of the sentence at the Provincial Correctional Centre rather than in a federal prison.

According to the facts presented in court, on Feb. 3, 2025, police executed a search warrant at MacDonald’s residence and seized electronic devices. Shortly after on Feb. 7, 2025, police executed another search warrant for a storage unit in Summerside belonging to MacDonald and seized a laptop computer.

A forensic examination of the devices revealed 8,768 images and 2,802 videos of child pornography depicting young boys. During the search, police also found a box in MacDonald’s bedroom that contained printed photographs of unclothed males. A school yearbook photo of the male sexual interference victim was also in the box.

Police spoke to the victim, who confirmed that MacDonald was a counsellor at a summer camp he attended when they met. Years later, the victim initiated a relationship with MacDonald that turned sexual.

For sentencing purposes, the Crown relied on one sexual incident between MacDonald and the victim at a motel in 2022. MacDonald was 27 years old at the time of the sexual interference offence and the victim was 15. The victim also said he sent nude photos of himself to MacDonald. An image seized from a device shows MacDonald and the victim engaged in a sexual act.

MacDonald told police that he believed the victim was 16, which is the legal age of consent for sexual activity in Canada. But MacDonald was reckless and didn’t take steps to confirm the victim’s actual age, according to the facts.

When MacDonald learned that the victim was under the age of 16, the sexual activity stopped. Their relationship resumed when the victim turned 16 and lasted for another two years.

At a sentencing hearing on Sept. 10, the victim’s mother read in court an impact statement. MacDonald also spoke and apologized to the victim and his family as well as to his own family and to the court. He added that he is working on his rehabilitation, self-awareness and new skills.

A pre-sentence report discussing MacDonald’s personal circumstances and background history as well as a sexual offence assessment and treatment program report were prepared to assist the court.

Clements referenced the sexual offence assessment report that describes MacDonald as an above average risk to reoffend with a “high need for treatment.”

MacDonald is educated in early childhood education and child and youth care and has worked in group homes and at summer camps. He did not have a prior criminal record. MacDonald has also struggled with mental health and addictions with periods of sobriety.

The three-year sentence breaks down into two years in custody for sexual interference and one year consecutive for possession of child pornography. MacDonald was also sentenced to a weapons’ prohibition, a DNA order, 30 months of probation and placement on the sex offender information registry for 20 years. There are also no-contact and non-communication orders with the victim and his mother.

The sentence includes a 10-year order under section 161 of the Criminal Code of Canada. That order along with the probation order includes conditions involving people under the age of 16, such as prohibiting him from attending places like public parks, daycares and public swimming pools and prohibiting him from volunteer opportunities and employment that puts him in a position of trust or authority over people under that age. MacDonald also has restrictions on his internet and social media access.

The probation order also requires MacDonald to, as directed, attend, actively participate in and complete any assessment, counselling or treatment program to reduce sexual recidivism and to address the risk factors in the sexual offence assessment as well as participate in mental health and addiction treatment programs.

MacDonald spent more than a year (398 days) in pre-sentence custody. At sentencing, he was given enhanced credit of 1.5 days for each day in custody totalling 597 days. As a result, MacDonald has roughly 16 months remaining on the sentence to be served at the Provincial Correctional Centre.

Terrence McEachern is a justice reporter for The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached at tmceachern@postmedia.com.